Hi All,
I haven't visited lately however the year annversary is looming for me, Christmas morning actually...a tough day since its also Christmas, I recently found some old photos of my boy, and my Mom's lab, Shadow, was PTS on Monday, age 14 with cancer, so it just reawakened my pain....I just wondered if anyone had any good ideas for preserving the anniversary day...without spoiling the holiday, something maybe that I can do every year to keep his memory alive, I am feeling like its like a dream, feels so long ago now...and I am still fighting the fact that he is not here right now...craziness I am sure...any thoughts I would appreciate them...

You are all my saviors and I am grateful for LS to be able to come back when I need you, BIG HUGE HUG TO ALL>>>>
Lots of Love, Tory, Hrudey and Fuzzies Momma, and now new Auggie boy, 8 mos old... Happy Holidays to you as well

The one year anniversary can be so hard. I lit some candles beside her urn and cried a lot. I'm sure it makes it harder, being on the holiday.

Magdalene

Hugs to you My Buddy, it's a tough time, the one year 'marker' of a day we would never have allowed and you are cruelly reminded that not only did it really happen not only has it been a really hard year to be gotten through but the time of year where it did must leave you feeling overwhelmed. Your Buddy and Christmas day are now forever associated, your life changed by what happened last year. And as if to bring it all back, you also had to deal with the going away of your mom's lab lately, it must make even more of a lump in your throat, althgough sometimes I guess it doesn't much matter, the pain is already so much there, just remembering the year ago...


You will have your own new ideas, your own tributes I know. But if you ever had Christmas trees in your house before, I think your situations makes for the perfect opportunity for a new tree, now a Buddy tree....Since Buddy left on Christmas, I would start a new tradition this year with a new tree , freshly cut by you or purchased with the idea in mind that Buddy will guide you in choosing the tree, then with only a few of the ornaments of years past(perhaps one for each of Buddy's years) and many symbolic 'new' ornaments that would say something about Buddy , as many as you can find. You might even ask for a few trinkets as small gifts from those who remember Buddy, an angel because he was one to you, a star for the same reasons, a sun if he loved to lay under it's rays, a deer if he loved nature etc..etc..You might make a few fitting ornaments as well. This Christmas might find
a bittersweet tree but as each year's Christmas would come, you would look at the 'new' Buddy tree' and it would tell you that your "Buddy''s presence is as with you as ever, there for you, overwhelmingly soothing to you, in a different but still strong way, and the love goes on, this time symbolized by a Buddy tree. I know it's hard, I hug you, you'll get through this and I hope
the right decorations just fall into your lap, Buddy inspired. Buddy Christmas, many magic moments for all of you the love will hold you through.

Tory, (Hrudey Momma)

The year is so hard, and it doesn't help that it's on Christmas. We spent the day of Moose's first just thinking of him and doing things that reminded us of him, not so possible for you. Maybe you could make the day after his day? My husband stayed home from work and we watched videos, lit candles, read poems and made a meal he would have loved. We put out a plate of his favorate chicken for him. Just seemed to bring him closer to us.

We also thanked Moose for sending us Majik.

Just want you to know I'm thinking of you.

Love

Christmas Day ...sounds like a hard anniversary. But to make Buddy a part of it and still have the Holiday you might think of.........

take your favorite photo of him and go to target, Walmart, wherever a place that does prints and have them make that photo into an 8x10...nice and big. Then look for a special frame..maybe Christmasy or maybe silver, like tinsel color.. and put that picture in the frame and put it in the room you are in the most at Christmas and in a prominent place so you can look at it and know he is spending the Holiday with you and you know in that picture....he will be happy and healthy and it is a part of the good memories.
You might even have 2 frames...a special one for Christmas Day until the tree comes down and the other for the rest of the year...to see him close by. Maybe drape some tinsel on the frame or decorate it somehow or maybe there are frames that have Holly or something Christmas on the frame itself...just a thought that sounded like a way to make Buddy very much a part of the Holiday...maybe he's even got a Christmas stocking that could be by the picture.

Maybe others have more ideas or any of these ideas might make you think of something that you feel would be perfect. I hope it helps.

Tory,

Thinking of you and Hrudey...big holiday hugs to Auggie.

Dayna

Although not officially recognised by the astronomer profession, this being more about the sentiment than anything else - but how about purchasing a star for Buddy?

You could choose a star from the constellation Canis Major (Greater Dog) or Canes Venatici (Hunting Dog).

You do get a lovely framed certificate which would be nice hung up somewhere in honour of your Buddy.

I guess it depends if you think the idea is a nice enough gesture to spend the money on something that officailly has no real meaning except for the special meaning it has to you.

As for me, with the 21st December looming ever nearer I have no idea how to mark this special day so everyone keep those ideas coming.....

Hi Tory,

Wow! I can not believe the great ideas that everyone responding to this post are giving. I was going to suggest getting a custom made ornament in Hrudey's name-maybe even one of the breed ornaments with his name on it- because he looked like a purebred. I have also been planning on donating a treat or toy on dogtoys.com to shelter dogs and cats this year. I am not sure if you could donate in his name but I was planning on looking into it for my Duffy. I will continue to think about it and let you know if I think of anything.

Please know that you and your family will be on my mind this Christmas and I will light a candle for your Hrudey.

Just a quick update before I dash out....



My daughter who is 6 years old wrote a letter with her Christmas Wish in it, she said that as all the animals at the local animal home don't have a home for Christmas, she would like to make sure that they at least have a present to open on Christmas day. We have taken her letter round to all the pet stores and supermarkets trying to get donations. So far everyone we have approached has agreed to help and donate toys and treats so we can wrap them up and take to the centre.

On Friday (Denis' day) we will be going to the centre along with the local paper where they will be taking pictures of Ruby handing out the gifts to all the cats and dogs and rabbits.

Asda (Walmart) have been fantastic and as they have been so touched by her letter, they have invited her to the store tomorrow to hand pick the gifts she wants to take to the animal.

It has been wonderful trying to arrange this and hopefully these animals will now have a wonderful Christmas.

Hi All Who Responded, Toonie, EM, Dayna, Moose's Mom, Magdelene, and Forduffy, Sorry it took me awhile to log back in...it's been crazy, and I might be trying to ignore the big day looming...I am not sure what to do exactly, maybe a little of all that was suggested...I love them all, your are all so kind and thoughtful..you know it just feels good to throw out my crazy feelings, and everyone understands..such support is so helpful.

I love the ideas, the ornaments, the picking a special tree, we actually purchased a live tree this year so we can plant it, I might make it his tree or in the spring plant a different plant each year for him especially b.c we live in a new house now, or support tree planting efforts around the world..I like that as well, and the picture with a christmasy frame, or dog ornament...yes, he is a red golden retriever..so a little red guy would be nice, I did pull out, by accident a really special picture my husband made of Hrudey, my buddy, which really captures his essence, its hard to look at it, but I am so happy to have found it, I think it will be that special forever photo, I will light a candle which I did for quite some time after he died...sort of a remembrance of his leaving...every Christmas, and I especially loved the giving to animals at shelters who don't have gifts at Christmas, you are so right, that is something I know my boy would appreciate, loving those fuzzy souls without families...thanks for reminding me of them too. oh I almost forgot to mention the star!! that is also a very very cool idea idea..it's such a hard thing to deal with when you've been together so long, 14 1/2 yrs, you almost don't realize it at the time how much time that is...its huge....well, I will be thinking of all of you, helping me through Christmas, I really appreciate it, and know you have all or are going to go through this too..it helps alot.... Much Love to you all!! I am forever grateful for LS, I remember finding it last year, I think it was Christmas night and I was too afraid to post, until the next day, I just had too...such a horrible place to be...time is an amazing thing, that kind of filters out those most painful thoughts,

Bye for now guys, thanks so much..it means so much, and have a wonderful holiday, Merry Christmas, Love, Tory, Hrudey's Momma, and Frank's Momma..and now Auggie boy.

Thinking of you today and wishing you many healing thoughts.

Thanks Duffy, I did feel all the support, Christmas eve was the most difficult time, leading up the day, I did find a star ornament, my mom gave me a little golden ret, ornament, and I found a dog angel, who I think is for Auggie, who is the angel that is helping me through, I lit my candle for him, and have that wonderful photograph of him that I found...it was good, but of course not perfect, b/c perfect would be him being here again, not something that is possible...so thanks again for your kind thoughts...i appreciate, I hope you all have a good new year, with hearts whole with the love of all our furry buddies...Blessings to you all. Much Love, Hrudey, Fuzz and Baby Auggie's Momma... Tory

Hugs to you Tory and a most happy, healthy and wondeful New Year to all the family.